Cultural approach needed on books
By R. Masri Sareb Putra
JAKARTA (JP): Former governor of Jakarta, Ali Sadikin recently received a summons from the chief justice, purely for owning a book.
The book, titled Era Baru Pemimpin Baru: Badio Menolak Rezim Orde Baru (New Era, New Leader: Badio Rejects the New Order Regime, The Jakarta Post March 18), had earlier been banned by the Attorney General's Office. This was the first banning this year and the seventh in four years.
Book banning remains a controversial policy. Academics condemn the practice but the government argues that the practice is justified on the grounds of maintaining "public order". The government maintains that certain books could rupture public stability.
Unlike the press, which can be shut down, as was the case with Tempo magazine, a book can only be banned and withdrawn from the market. A publishing company will only lose its printing license and there has never been a publisher who has had to close down his or her business.
In the last five years, two types of books have been banned. First, books which are classified as pornography, such as Madame D. Syuga written by Fuji Hideki, banned on Nov. 8, 1993. Second, politically controversial books have been banned, such as the one mentioned above.
The government seems to consider books as a possible political vehicle while academics view them as valuable contributions to research and political knowledge.
Take for instance, Karl Marx book Das Kapital which is prohibited in Indonesia. Should this not be of interest to those who want to understand economics? While politicians would obtain insights from reading Machiavelli's work, or, from Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf.
On this point, Darmanto Yatman, a lecturer of Diponegoro University in Semarang once suggested that some literature, including the novels of Pramoedya Ananta Toer should be made available at least to university libraries.
But Law No. 4/PNPS/1963 regarding the Security of Printed Material stipulates that when a ban has been imposed there is no room for leniency.
It seems that the government is adopting what has been called the "security approach" in this case. This should not be so as transparency has become the catchword in many areas of life. It would be difficult to completely withdraw all banned material still in circulation.
Also, how do we identify owners of this forbidden literature? The government's appeal to hand in banned books is likely to be ignored. Indeed, banning a book often brings the opposite results, people will scurry to get it.
On the other hand, a writer can also use a pen name to protect him or herself.
For these reasons, it would be best for the government to adopt a cultural approach. Up until now, new books are scrutinized by the attorney general. The attorney's judgment is final. Discussion with writers is not entered into.
The Adik Baru, Cara Menjelaskan Seks Kepada Anak (A New Sibling, How to Explain Sex to Children) is a case in point. The Attorney General's Office banned the book on grounds of pornography. Conny Semiawan, a respected educator who edited the translated book said that the subject of sex was written in the context of education and was never meant to be pornographic. The ban remains.
What determines that a book is to be banned? It seems that the government, including the Attorney General's Office and its permanent team members from the State Intelligence Coordinating Board, the Armed Forces Intelligence Body, the National Police, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Religious Affairs and the Ministry of Information, have their own criteria.
The attorney general always cites Law No. 27 "In maintaining public order and peace, the Attorney General's Office will scrutinize printed material."
Thus can a writer be charged with causing public disorder. This even more the case, if a book bears elements that can be considered as inciting hatred or slander.
Books containing the teachings of Marx and Lenin are also banned. This is despite the case that communism in Indonesia has officially been "crushed" and the Soviet Union is no more.
In today's atmosphere of greater openness, the government should reconsider its policies and at least be willing to discuss contents of books bordering on science with writers like that of Adik Baru. Exceptions should apply to those writers who deliberately dwell in sensitive subjects of race, ethnicity, religion, community groups such as in Dosa dan Penebusan Menurut Islam dan Kristen (1991), (Sins and Redemption in Islam and Christianity), Sikap Muslim Terhadap Pancasila (1987), (Moslems Attitude to Pancasila State Ideology), or Ritual Jahiliah yang Haram (1988), (the Jahiliah Haram Ritual).
Unlike the printed media which usually receives three warnings before it is told to close down, books are only banned once and this ends their market distribution.
From 1987 to 1997, 70 books and printed materials have been banned. They include political books such as Menuntut Janji Orde Baru (1987), (Demanding the New Order's Promises), Siapa yang Sesungguhnya Melakukan Kudeta Terhadap Pemerintah Presiden Soekarno (1987), (Who is the Real Protagonist of the Coup d'etat Against Soekarno's Government), Regulasi Rejim Birokratik Militer: Kasus di Indonesia (1988) (Regulations in a Military Bureaucratic Regime: an Indonesian Case) and Bertarung Demi Demokrasi (1990), (Vying for Democracy).
The banning of books does not only happen in developing countries. It also happens in the so-called "advanced" countries such as the United States. The difference is the number of books banned.
The writer is an editor in a publishing company in Jakarta.
Table: Books banned over the last five years
No. Title Writer Publisher Date of ban ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Madame D. Syuga Fuji Hideki Kabushiki Nov 8, 1993
Kai-sha Sukora 2. Primadosa Wimanjaya Yayasan Eka Jan 24, 1994
Fakta Kota 3. Presiden Ikut Abuya SIAMKA Al Arqam Indon. Aug 6, 1994
Jadwal Allah 4. Nyanyi Sunyi Pramoedia A.T. Lentera Apr 19, 1995
Seorang Bisu 5. Memoar Oei Tjoe Tat Oei Tjoe Tat Hasta Mitra Sep 25, 1995 6. Bayang-Bayang PKI Imran Hasibuan Ins. Studi Apr 22, 1996
Arus Kom. 7. Era Baru Pemimpin Soebadio S. Soebadio S. Mar 4, 1997
Baru